Pistons Drive In Neutral Without Enforcer Mahorn

INSIDE THE NBA

Rick Mahorn is a crude, sometimes dirty player, but the Detroit Pistons so sorely miss his meanness that they are playing centers James Edwards and Bill Laimbeer side-by-side in the lineup.

It is an obvious effort by Pistons Coach Chuck Daly to create more toughness, to resurrect the Pistons' ''bad boys'' image of a year ago. Sadly for Detroit, Mahorn may have taken that edge with him.

Mahorn was lost in the expansion draft to Minnesota and later traded to Philadelphia. The Pistons still haven't recovered from their decision to protect streak-shooting guard Vinnie Johnson and allow Mahorn to escape.

Johnson's shooting no longer heats up so quickly, and his nickname, ''Microwave,'' no longer seems applicable. For much of the season, Johnson has been hitting less than 40 percent of his shots. For a while, he was able to offer a preseason injury - slightly fractured ribs - as an excuse. But his ribs were hurt two months ago and should be healed by now.

The poor start by Johnson would not be so noticeable if it were not for Mahorn's absence. The Pistons are the defending champions, but they are not generating that awe of invincibility that they enjoyed last season. Clubs are taking it to the Pistons, taking advantage of Mahorn's absence, Johnson's slump and the disappointing inability of 7-foot forward John Salley to develop into a starter.

Daly is having to adopt motivational tactics used by Los Angeles Lakers Coach Pat Riley. With his team in a four-team dogfight in the Central Division, Daly is ready for the Pistons to show some dominance.

''We have got to start to make our playoff move,'' he said. ''It is time for us to move it up a notch.''

The Pistons may find that without Mahorn, they are stuck in neutral.

Speaking of Riley, he also is uttering motivational slogans again, even though his team has uncovered a promising rookie center in Vlade Divac and appears to be the best club in the league.

The Lakers were the first team to win 20 games this season, but that didn't stop Riley from calling the Lakers' offense ''sluggish, lethargic and boring.'' If Riley's statement is correct, then a lot of teams would love to be so boring. Riley is claiming the Lakers miss retired center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played horribly all last season.

''Kareem was a big target, and he knew how to get into position to get the ball,'' Riley said. ''Even though he was not productive last season, he was there and people had to pay attention to him.''

Suffice it to say that Riley is again searching for the slightest of an edge.

Cleveland guard Mark Price on the Cavaliers' makeshift lineups: ''We're like strangers out there.'' The Cavaliers have been decimated by injuries. . . . San Antonio center David Robinson, adding to his golden-boy image, has moved his mother and father to San Antonio so they can see him play more often. . . . Spurs guard Vernon Maxwell, who played at the University of Florida, says he has gotten over having not been a first-round draft pick two years ago. Maxwell's stock dropped when it was reported just before the draft that Maxwell had used drugs while at Florida. He wound up being taken in the second round and is earning about $175,000 this year - a far cry from the salary of a first-round pick. ''I am not worried about it,'' Maxwell said. ''Everybody tells me that the second contract will be the big one, and that's the one I am waiting for.''

The Miami Heat are saying privately that if they get the No. 1 pick they'll take Florida center Dwayne Schintzius. Of course, that's assuming that center Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown stays in school. Schintzius is virtually a lock to be the No. 1 pick regardless of who has the choice. . . . The Heat and Charlotte Hornets will have an edge over fellow expansionists Orlando and Minnesota next season. For the first time, Miami and Charlotte will abide by the same salary cap rules as the other expansion teams. That means they'll be able to spend about 25 percent more on salaries than Orlando and Minnesota.

Larry Bird on his attempt to make a complete comeback from injuries that kept him out nearly all last season: ''Every time I miss a shot or throw away a pass, people will say, 'He never did that before.' It's a no-win situation. But I feel I will get there.'' Said Washington star forward Bernard King, who missed two seasons with a knee injury: ''There is a certain basketball rhythm that you lose when you're out that long. You see that in Bird. He is always going to pick himself apart harsher than anybody else. But he is working things through. It just takes time. Right now he is thinking, not reacting.''